Until the late 1970′s, only a few stray moose from Wyoming would wander into Northern Colorado. Now, state wildlife managers estimate that nearly 2500 moose are roaming across the western part of the state.

The boom in moose population is generally a good thing: rising population means a healthy, thriving, reproducing community of happy moose. However, the moose’s natural predators, wolves and grizzlies, are not established in Colorado, and so the moose are running a little wild… right into the ski resorts.

These 800-pound behemoths are taking advantage of packed snow on ski slopes to migrate.

“During winter, moose are often seen on trails, as it is easier to travel on packed snow compared to walking in deep snow,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife district manager Jeromy Huntington said after inspecting the moose at Winter Park. They’ve been seen at Steamboat, Nederland, and at the Winter Park resort, where a bull was dubbed Bullwinkle by patrollers.

Signs have been installed recently urging skiers and snowboarders to avoid contact with moose: ”May Charge,” “Seek Escape Route” and “Moose Don’t Shoo!” Last winter, a patroller who tried to wrangle a moose off a halfpipe provoked a charge. Staffers now advise skiers to stop and wait if moose take to a trail. This is good advice.

“We certainly prefer that the moose remains far away from winter recreationists, but that is often up to the moose,” Huntington said.

Goats have a penchant for seeking out the highest point they can climb. In this case, that point was an unwitting Zebu (humped Brahmin cattle), named Blue, who frankly seemed to like the attention from his adorable and infantile companions.

Wednesday, April 16 marks the two-and-a-half-week point since a calf moose was found injured along the banks of the Blue River in Silverthorne, CO. The now-notorious youngster appears to be doing well and is on his way to making a full recovery.

In recent days, the calf and mother moose have been seen venturing at increasingly greater distances to the north through Silverthorne, but continue to return to the protective sanctuary along the banks of the Blue River.

“He has a very obvious limp, but he’s getting increasingly more mobile every day,” said Parks & Wildlife district wildlife manager Elissa Knox. The cow and calf “have plenty to eat in town and he’s eating, drinking and moving around just like he should be.”

Despite public concern about a perceived lack of action from Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, the calf has many factors working in his favor, Knox said, which was why, in addition to the obvious danger of trying to separate it from his mother, officials wanted to see first if the calf would begin to exhibit signs of a recovery, before they attempted any human intervention.

Among those positive factors are the fact that the calf sustained a totally closed fracture, meaning there is no break in the skin, which also significantly reduces the chances of an infection. The calf also is still growing, Knox said, which provides a higher chance of recovery than an older moose because his bones are still developing.

The Silverthorne Police Department has been assisting Parks & Wildlife officials by closing sections of the Blue River Trail to minimize human interaction. Knox is asking residents to respect those closures and to continue to keep their distances, not just for the moose’s safety, but also for their own.

“Moose are tolerant of people to a point, but they’re beginning to show signs of agitation when people or cars get too close,” Knox said. “There’s a lot of moose activity in Silverthorne in addition to these two by the Blue River,” Knox said. “People can encounter moose anywhere in town including on trails and bike paths, which is why it is so important for the public to be safe.”

In addition to the injured calf and cow near the Blue River, Knox said a moose sighting was reported last week near Banana Republic at the Outlets at Silverthorne. A second moose was sighted Thursday, April 10 on Interstate 70 between Frisco and Silverthorne.

As a reminder, signs of moose aggression include licking of the snout, ears pinned back and raised hairs on the back, Knox said. A moose walking slowly towards people also should be interpreted as an act or potential act of aggression.

Should anyone encounter a moose in town or on one of Summit County’s many trails, Knox said it is important to stay at a safe distance and make sure the moose has an escape route. Should a moose charge, locals are advised to put something big, like a tree, boulder or a car, between themselves and the animal.

Meet the Geep, an adorable goat-sheep hybrid born accidentally in Ireland. Accidentally, because no one at the farm believed that the goat’s “antics” would result in anything, but the farm is excited about the new arrival and plans on keeping him as a pet.